Kishan asks Covid positive netas to get treatment in government hospitals

Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said people's representatives contracted with Covid-19 should take admission in the government hospitals.

Addressing the media here on Sunday, he said that it is the responsibility of the State government to instill confidence in the people about the government-run hospitals.

The Union Minister earlier visited Gandhi Hospital and interacted with doctors and paramedical staff and enquired with them about the facilities at the hospital and measures taken to handle the patients admitted for Covid treatment.

Kishan Reddy appreciated the services of the doctors and other staff and assured all possible assistance from the Centre. He handed over fruit juice packets for the patients and healthcare workers.

The Minister stressed the need for immediate operationalisation of TIMS Gachibowli. He said the number of tests being conducted in the State is less when compared to other States and the number cases being reported are highest in Hyderabad, after Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The Secundrabad MP said that he had talked to the State Health Minister Eatala Rajender and officials concerned on the prevailing situation in Telangana.

Kishan Reddy said that the Centre dispatched 600 ventilators to Telangana and about 250 ventilators at the Gandhi Hospital designated for Covid treatment are yet to put to use.

Responding on the private hospitals charging higher fees for Covid treatment, he said, the State government should take responsibility to rein in to prevent the same.

He said that he visited the Gandhi Hospital being a local MP representing the Secundrabad Lok Sabha constituency to instill confidence among the patients at the hospital. He also directed the officials to hike the salaries of the outsourcing staff working at the hospital.

Responding to a question, Kishan Reddy said the ESI and Railway hospitals were designated for Covid treatment. However, there is no possibility to convert the AIIMS at Bibinagar into a Covid hospital, However, if the State governments sought for such approval then the same will be looked into, he said

Later in the evening, he held a meeting with the General Manager and other officials of Food Corporation of India (FCI), to take stock of availability of grains in light of extended PM Gareeb Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) and attended a State Level Bankers Committee Meeting to discuss the disbursements under PM Gareeb Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). He distributed cheques to the beneficiaries under the scheme.